In case you are a comparatively outdated Mac consumer, chances are you’ll not have seen that the Shortcuts app that received standard amongst iOS customers is now additionally accessible on macOS. Apple launched it alongside macOS Monterey in 2021 as a function you need to use together with the Automator to simplify duties and automate lengthy chains of instructions with a easy click on.
You may get actually artistic with the Shortcuts app and use it to carry out duties that might in any other case waste a whole lot of your time. Right here, we’ll cowl some helpful methods to make the most of Shortcuts in macOS.
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How the Shortcuts App Works
The Shortcuts app makes use of visible code blocks to string a number of actions collectively to carry out a activity. When you’re aware of tips on how to make a shortcut in your iPhone or iPad, it is just about the identical in your Mac. Because of the app’s visible system, you possibly can simply learn to begin utilizing shortcuts in your Mac.
Apple lets you mix third-party apps with Shortcuts, providing you with limitless potentialities to create a shortcut that makes one thing simpler for you. But when you do not have the time for it, you too can shortly set up many pre-made shortcuts from the web or the Shortcuts Gallery.
7 Helpful Methods to Use Shortcuts in macOS
Earlier than you create any shortcuts, it is best to attempt to determine what precisely you goal to realize with them. Are you making an attempt to enhance your digital high quality of life? Or are you merely making an attempt to save lots of time? Take into account automating issues that require a sequence of actions you do frequently. Listed here are seven concepts that may assist encourage your shortcuts.
1. Splitting Screens
When you’ve used Home windows, you may be aware of the easy keyboard shortcut that lets you cut up screens for higher productiveness. Whereas your Mac might not have the identical keyboard shortcut, you possibly can create a shortcut that lets you cut up your screens extra simply and use two apps aspect by aspect.
You should utilize the Break up Display 2 Apps shortcut from the Gallery part of the Shortcuts app to make this fast and simple, however alternatively, you can also make your personal by utilizing the cut up display motion for extra customization. Right here, we have created a shortcut referred to as “Synonymous Writing” (decide your personal identify) to separate the display between the Dictionary app and Microsoft Phrase. Hopefully, this shortcut will assist us use higher synonyms.
Obtain: Break up Display 2 Apps (Free)
2. Energy Saving Actions and Power Quitting
While you’re operating low on energy or wish to delay your battery life, you usually take a number of actions to preserve energy. In fact, you need to use the Low Energy Mode in your Mac to attenuate background exercise.
Nevertheless, the Shortcuts app provides you extra management over the duties you wish to cease from operating within the background. For example, you possibly can shut sure battery-draining apps and depart solely the important ones.
Whereas there are numerous methods to give up all of your Mac apps in seconds, the Shortcuts app proves to be one of many extra environment friendly methods. For instance, you possibly can shut Google Chrome and the App Retailer however depart Photoshop on if you wish to save battery and focus solely in your picture modifying.
When you’re merely seeking to put rather less pressure in your battery and give attention to the duty at hand, you need to use a drive quitting shortcut to save lots of you from closing apps one after the other. The Cease Distractions shortcut lets you drive give up all apps besides the one you’ve gotten chosen.
Obtain: Cease Distractions (Free)
3. Shazam and Add to Playlist
Apple Music is usually a bit restrictive with what you are able to do together with your playlists out of the field, however that is the place you need to use Shortcuts (and your creativity) to fill the hole.
For this instance, we have created a shortcut that you need to use to shortly Shazam a tune and add it to your Apple Music playlist. One second you do not know even know the tune’s identify and the following second it is in your library. Fairly neat, is not it?
As you possibly can most likely inform by now, Shortcuts can function a faster manner to make use of Apple Music playlists in your Mac.
Obtain: Shazam and Add to Playlist (Free)
4. Convert Your Media
One other cool productive concept is utilizing shortcuts to transform media shortly—particularly for those who continuously look on-line for media converters. You should utilize the Shortcuts App to transform all kinds of media. Right here, now we have made a shortcut that converts a GIF to a video.
If you wish to spice issues up, you possibly can create shortcuts that convert PDF recordsdata to pictures, JPEGs to different picture codecs, encode media, and even change textual content recordsdata to different sorts of recordsdata.
To see the outcomes of your shortcut, remember so as to add an motion to output your consequence. You should utilize the “Fast Look” or “Present Outcome” motion.
Obtain: GIF to Video Converter (Free)
5. Set Your Mac’s Temper
When you’re one for moods and aesthetics in your Mac, you need to use Shortcuts to create an “surroundings.” You may chain a set of actions to make your laptop really feel extra pure doing one thing. For instance, you possibly can have a “examine temper” that performs your LoFi hip-hop playlist, turns off all distractions, splits your display between notes and Google Chrome, and activates any pre-defined Apple mode.
Here is an instance of our gaming temper: we have chained altering the wallpaper, enjoying our gaming playlist, and operating a sport referred to as Baldur’s Gate.
You may get actually artistic with this and check out all kinds of moods. Maybe you are a kind of preferring a selected surroundings whereas watching a film or looking the online.
Obtain: Gaming Temper (Free)
6. Character and Phrase Counter
Subsequent on the checklist, now we have one thing so easy but so useful on the similar time. You should utilize Shortcuts to create a shortcut that counts characters on the press of a button.
Though it won’t be helpful for everybody, those that usually ship out emails and different paperwork can keep watch over the character depend and save an additional minute.
Obtain: Rely Characters (Free)
7. Create a Time Zone Converter
Whereas brainstorming concepts for shortcuts, remember that the entire level is to attenuate the steps to difficult targets. With extra individuals working remotely worldwide, protecting monitor of assembly instances has by no means been extra problematic.
Happily, you possibly can remedy this problem by shortly changing instances with a easy home made time zone converter. We have created one for you in case you lack the time or persistence. All it’s essential do is copy the time to your clipboard earlier than you run the shortcut and choose the origin and vacation spot time zones.
Obtain: Time Zone Converter (Free)
Be Extra Environment friendly and Productive With Siri Shortcuts
With the proper scripts and some minutes of your time, mundane duties that eat a whole lot of time can grow to be simpler and even utterly computerized. And the truth that all these shortcuts sync throughout all of your Apple units, together with your Apple Watch, makes this function much more highly effective.
Probably the greatest benefits of Shortcuts is how a lot better Siri can grow to be with it. Because of Siri, all of your shortcuts will be activated with a easy voice command, making it easy to carry out advanced duties in your Mac.
